DAILY TEXT, Today Thursday April 7, 2022, Their armies gathered to fight against the rider of that horse and against his army (Rev. 19:19).

DAILY TEXT, Today Thursday April 7, 2022

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022

Thursday, April 7, 2022 

Their armies gathered to war against the rider of that horse and against his army (Rev. 19:19).

Apparently, the prophecies of Ezekiel 38:10-23; Daniel 2:43-45; 11:44-12:1 and Revelation 16:13-16, 21 speak of the same period of time and the same events. If so, we can expect the following developments. Sometime after the outbreak of the Apocalypse, “the kings of all the inhabited earth” will form a coalition of nations (Rev. 16:13, 14). The Bible calls this coalition "Gog from the land of Magog" (Ezek. 38:2). This group of nations will launch a final attack against God's people and attempt to destroy them completely. In connection with this time, the apostle John saw a storm of unusually large hailstones rain down on God's enemies. Perhaps this storm represents the severe message of condemnation that Jehovah's servants will proclaim and that will prompt Gog de Magog to attack God's people with the aim of wiping them off the map (Rev. 16:21). w20.05 15 paras. 13, 14

What is "the Beautiful Land"?

Daniel 11:41 says that the king of the north would invade "the Beautiful Land." What is that land? In ancient times, Israel was said to be “the fairest of all lands” (Ezek. 20:6). Actually, what made it particularly beautiful was that Jehovah was worshiped there. But, since Pentecost of the year 33 of our era, that “Earth” is not a literal place in a geographical sense. And it cannot be, for Jehovah's servants are scattered all over the world. Rather, “the Beautiful Land” today is the symbolic place where God's people carry out activities such as their worship through meetings and preaching.

How has the king of the north invaded “the Beautiful Land”?

In recent days, the king of the north has invaded "the Beautiful Land" again and again. For example, when Nazi Germany was the king of the north, especially during World War II, he invaded “the Beautiful Land” by persecuting and killing God's servants. After World War II, when the Soviet Union became the king of the north, it invaded this land by persecuting those who worshiped Jehovah and sending them into exile.

In recent years, how have Russia and its allies invaded “the Beautiful Land”?

In recent years, Russia and its allies have also invaded "the Beautiful Land." How? In 2017, this modern-day king of the north banned the work of Jehovah's Witnesses and imprisoned some of our brothers. He also banned our publications, including the New World Translation. In addition, he seized the Russia branch, as well as Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls. Following these events, in 2018 the Governing Body identified Russia and its allies as the king of the north. Now, Jehovah's servants do not fight against any government or try to change it, even when it persecutes us harshly. Rather, we follow the biblical advice to pray “for all who are in high office,” especially when they make decisions that could affect religious freedom.​—1 Tim. 2:1, 2.

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